Wire connecter



Nov-1,1938. M. D. BE G/m "2,134,775

WIRE .CONNECTER Original Filed April 25; 1935 INVENTOR. Marfin 'D. Bergan B T W ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1, 1938 v PATENT or-Pics 2,134,775 WIRE OONNECTER Martin D. Bergen, linden, N. 1., assignor to The Thomas 8; Betta 00., Elizabeth, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Original application April 25. ms, Serial No.

18,112. Divided and this application April 16,

1937, Serial No. 137,161 113 -269) 3Claims.

The invention relates to a solderless wire connecter in which a wire or wires are secured. The wire connecter is adapted, to be anchored to some other structure'in order to electrically connect the wire or wires with such structure. The invention relates particularly to a form of solderless wire connecter which is produced by bending sheet metal blanks or ribbons to form both parts thereof and particularly to form the principal part of the connecter or the clamping member.

This application is a division of my application Serial-No. 18,112 filed April 25, 1935.

It is an object of the invention to construct a 5 new and novel wire connecter formed from sheet material in which the principal part of the wire connecter is integral with the securing means By which the connector is secured to some other structure.

Another object is to devise a wire connecter in which the parts are formed from blanks of sheet metal or metallic'ribbon which are bent into new-and novel form. V Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing a. preferred form of the invention, in

which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of the 3o assembled wire connecter gripping a wire therein.

. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-4 of Figure I.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the clamping member as it is bent or shaped to form a tapered or inclined wire receiving seat or groove.

Figure 4 is a top view of the clamping member and shows the wire receiving seat or groove formed in one end thereof. h

Figure 5 is an end view of the slidable operating member by means of which a wire is clamped or gripped in the wire receiving groove or the clamping member.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the operating member taken on line 6-.-5 of Figure 5.

Solderless wireconnecters are known in which the part which immediately contacts with or grips the wire is a separate part from the means which secures the wire connecter to some other structure and the two parts are secured together in some suitable way. with two parts so connected together, the electrical flow from the wire to the supporting structure is through parts physically separate from each other, even though they are in contact with each other at some point, and

7 wire and the securing means by which the connecter is secured to some supportingstructure.

The structure herein obtains the continuous me- 10 tallic path for the electrical energy in a part or parts bent from sheet metal.

The wire connecter to be described-herein com- I prises two members, namely a clamping member l0 and an operating member I]. Each member is formed by bending a sheet metal blank or ribbon into a form now to be described. The clamping member has a wire seat or groove 12 which is integral with the securing means l3. One or more holes I! are provided in the securing means to receive anchoring screws or bolts (not shown) which secure the wire connecter to some other structure. Two such bolt holes are shown. The sheet metal blank or ribbon is preferably bent so that the two edges l5 thereof are raised above 25 the normallevel of the securing means, or are in a plane spaced from. the plane of the securing means. The member is also bent so that an inclined wire seat or groove i2 is formed between these raised edges, which groove extends at an- 30 angle with respect to the edges. It is important that the wire groove I! be at an angle or inclined with respect to the adjacent edges whether or not the edges are raised asillustrated. These raised edges are preferably parallel with the plane 86 of the securing means, although such parallel relation is not necessary. The edges form guides upon the sides of the clamping member. The width of the member is narrower across the guides than the width of the ribbon or securing 40 means, the purpose of which will appear more fully hereinafter. serrations or biting teeth may be provided in the groove to more firmly grip the wire and to more eflectively establish electrical contact therewith. I 4.5

The sliding operating member II is shown particularly in Figures 5 and 6 and serves to anchor or clamp a wire in the inclined wire groove or seat II. This operating means is also bent from sheet metal having its ends bent around to form '50 the inwardly directed channels 2| for slidably receiving the edges I! of the clamping member. The operating member preferably has an inclined wire 'groovell, the incline of which extends in the same direction as the groove or wire 55 seat I! in the clamping member It so that the seats formed by the groove are substantially parallel with each other. This operating member is slid upon the clamping member along the edges or guides I! which are received within the channeis 2|. After the operating member has been positioned upon the guides, the end of the clamping member or a pair of projections 22 thereupon are bent at right angles to the edges I! in order to provide stops for the operating member. These stops 2! prevent the operating member from being separated or removed from the clamping member" l0. The edges I! are preferably provided narrower than the width of the securing means because the greater width of the edges of the securing means also serves as a stop for the slidable operating member at this end of the edBes. It will be observed, therefore, that one of the members has channels and the other member has edges which are received in the channels, and the edges and channels cooperate together to iorm guides.

In order to secure a wire W within the wire connecter, the slider or operating member H is shifted to the left-hand end of the guides I 5 vupon the clamping member ill in which position the wire passage, formed by the opposed grooves l2 and 2| in the clamping member l0 and operating member II respectively, is greatest. The wire W has the insulation removed therefrom and this uncovered end of the wire is slipped into the wire passage. The operating member is then forcibly pushed to the right relatively to the clamping member which reduces the size of the wire passage because the grooves l2 and 2i are inclined with respect to the channels 20 and the guides or edges ii, and the wire is then clamped within the wire passage. In the broader aspect oi the invention, it is immaterial which member carries the channels and which part carries the edges. Both are guides and the wire seat or groove I! must be inclined with respect to the guides upon the same member.

is intended by the phraseology oi the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire connecter comprising a clamping member formed from a ribbon of sheet metal, the edges of the sheet metal ribbon at one end thereof being pressed upwardly to form a wire receiving groove therebetw'een, the groove being inclined with respect to the pressed up edges of the clamping member, the pressed up edges of the clamping member being parallel, an operating member carried by the clamping member and slidable upon'the parallel edges thereof relatively to the inclined groove-to grip a wire therein, and the other end of the clamping member forming securing means to anchor the connecter to some other structure.

2. A wire connecter comprising a clamping member formed from a ribbon of sheet metal and having the edges thereof at one end pressed upwardly to form a wire receiving groove therebetween, the pressed up edges being formed narrower than the ribbon, the pressed up edges at the grooved end of the member being parallel to form guides and the groove being inclined with respect to the edges, a securing means integral therewith formed by the other end of the clamping member, an operating member, having inwardly directed channels within which the guides are received so that the operating member is slidable upon the guides and relatively to the inclined groove to grip a wire therein, and the end of the clamping member being bent at an angle to the pressed up edges to form a stop for preventing separation of the members.

3. A wire connecter comprising a clamping member formed from a ribbon of sheet metal and having the edges at one end thereoi. pressed upwardly to form a wire receiving groove therebetween, the sides 0! the bent end being parallel to form guides and 'the groove being inclined with respect thereto, a securing means integral therewith iormed by the otherend oi the sheet metal member, and the bottom of the groove merging with the securing means; and an operating member formed from sheet metal and having its ends bent over to form inwardly directed channels to receive the guides, the operating means being MARTIN D. Ba sam. 

